


Home is where the heart is. ||A Story About Romano's Daughter||

by theobamallama



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Comfort, Death, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Healing, Humor, Love, Slice of Life, Trauma, graphic house fire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28559358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theobamallama/pseuds/theobamallama
Summary: Having been in the care of her grandmother for the start of her life, Alessia has never been given the opportunity to meet her father. In fact, anything having to do with her father is an incredibly sore spot and is better left alone in conversation. Though, into her teen years, a terrible accident occurs that leads in the death of Alessia's grandmother. With Alessia still grieving, she is left to her father and his side of the family, as they are the only living relatives left to care for her. Follow Alessia and her journey in this slice-of-life story where she and Lovino learn what family truly means.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

A shrilling blare pierced her ears. An alarm that was not meant to just wake her up for a normal day of school. No, she thought that maybe her ears would soon begin to bleed. Struggling to come to her senses she forced the fogginess of her brain to dissipate, opening her eyes. Something in the air. A foreign smell, but one that she knew and recognized.

_Smoke._

She could suddenly hear the crackling sound of all-consuming fire matching with the stuttering of her heart. Panic was beginning to submerge itself into her thoughts, but she willed it away. Now was not the time. She needed her senses, her wits. At this, she forced her legs to move, jumping out of bed and running to the door. A feeling of dread rushed over her upon seeing a warm glow coming from beneath her door, the room beginning to occupy itself with ugly, black smoke. In a sense of urgency, she attempted to grip the handle to swing open the door to what she would hope be of safety, but in hindsight, it was a stupid thought as she hissed at the burning sensation from the knob.

_‘Too hot!’_ Alessia thought fearfully, clinging gingerly onto her burnt palm. It was then that another concern was brought to mind.

“Grandma!” She cried out. Again, and again and again. No response. The cacophony of disgusting silence and consuming fire was the only thing surrounding her now. Her voice was hoarse, mind swimming. She felt _stuck_. But no, she had to get out. Some way, somehow. That was when Alessia rushed over to her bed, nearly tripping while in the process of doing so. She snatched the phone on her nightstand to find in horror that she hadn’t plugged it in before falling asleep. The battery was dead, leaving her cell utterly useless. Alessia once again swallowed down her heightened anxiety and in sudden thought, turned her attention to the pillow sitting atop her disheveled bed and snatched it. She yanked the pillow out, leaving her hands only with its flimsy, cotton casing.

Alessia was being slammed with gushes of heat now, the smoke becoming nearly unbearable. The snapping of wood was becoming evident, her situation much more dire than it was before. If she didn’t move now, this whole building would come down. On her. On her _grandmother_. And why wasn’t she _answering_? _What if she hurt? Oh God. What if it was even worse than she thought? What if she was – ?_ Alessia slammed these questions to the back of her mind. Right now, she just needed to _move_. Forcing feeling back into her legs she hurried towards the door once again, folding the pillowcase in her hands a good few times. She was able to effectively place it over the handle this time without burning her hands. With one simple movement, the door was open. 

A small rush of hope filled her as she was finally free from her small bedroom, but that was short-lived upon seeing the condition of the rest of her home. A hallway that was a usual calming coloring of greens and blues was now engulfed with a fierce coloring of oranges and red. If she thought that the fire was unbearable in her room before, then she surely had no words to what it felt like now…she felt _something_ creeping slowly down her face, suddenly picking up in speed. Alessia quickly brought a hand to her face.

_Wet_. Her face was _wet_. She was now only realizing that she was crying. And now she had a decision to make and it had to be a fast one. Alessia was on the second floor. Does she make a run for the exit? The stairs are just to her right, barely a few steps away and she could make quick work (hopefully) to escape her burning home. Or does she travel further down the hall, in search of her grandmother? She would be creating a larger risk of having debris crush her if she did so. And who was to tell if the path to her was even clear? Who was to say if the path _out_ of her house is clear of debris as well? Nothing was certain.

_Should she run?_

_…_

_Or should she play hero?_

_…_

In that moment, her feet moved on their own and she knew of the decision that she had made. Ignoring the stairs to her right, she began her trek through the smoldering hallway, bringing the pillowcase over her nose. She did her best to ignore the feeling of her skin possibly melting. The girl just couldn’t believe how _loud_ everything was. All her senses were overtaken it seemed, tears cascading down her now dirtied face. She moved in regard to where the debris of wood and more was not, almost in a zig-zag formation. Alessia squinted, the fire and heat so incredibly overpowering. But it was then that even amongst the smoke, she began to see the outline of a door. The door to her grandmother’s room. She was almost there! Almost there. Almo –

Alessia suddenly felt a type of pressure on her waist, then around her stomach. A grip, a firm one was grasping her tightly and pulling her back. It was then that she was also registering an alert, deliberate voice.

“-out of here! We need to get you out of here!” Upon beginning to understand what the man was saying, Alessia began to fight in his grasp.

“No! My grandmother she’s _right there_! She’s trapped! She needs help!” Alessia shrieked, and the man was taken aback by the ferocity that he found in her eyes. Despite being so much smaller, Alessia did her best to fight his grip, her grandmother’s safety being that of top priority. Yet in all of her valor, her tears were falling fast now, and this stranger, surely a firefighter in seeing his uniform, just stared at her briefly. Something akin to paternal affection overtook him as the little girl was still attempting to get away. _But the house was crumbling fast_ , and he knew they were running out of time. The man firmly grasped her shoulders, turning her around to suddenly face him. He didn’t miss the annoyed look in her eyes.

“All right, _all right_. Don’t worry. More of us are on the way!” Just as he said so, a band of three more firefighters rushed past the both of them, making quick headway, “Now we need to get you out of here, okay? You aren’t safe here.”

This time, he didn’t give her any room for an answer. Scooping her up in his arms, he made his way throughout the rest of the burning home, weaving in and out an impromptu path that could possibly be considered safe. While he was doing so, Alessia didn’t resist his hold this time. The brave firefighters were at work now and if Alessia were to be honest, then she knew that the more she fought back their help, the more it disrupted their rescue and fast work.

Body now mostly slack and shock setting in, Alessia allowed her rescuer’s footsteps to become something like a drone. Lazily shifting her gaze upwards, she watched the burning flames that licked at the walls and ceiling, the fire reflected in her eyes dancing a ferocious kind of dance. Tears still continued to race downward.

This was her home.

_On fire._

With her grandmother still supposedly _inside_.

They had finally made it out of the burning house. Her daze was temporarily interrupted by various voices and many rushing hands as they evaluated her state carefully, yet efficiently. A mask was placed over her face as she was sat on the bed of a truck. An oxygen mask, Alessia reasoned. She was able to pick out a few, miscellaneous statements,

“Any wounds?”

“How drastic?”

“Make sure that the mask is secure!”

“ – just a few cuts and bruises…” Alessia was starting to zone out again. She thought that maybe she might pass out. All of this was getting to her head whether that be from the previous high of adrenaline or the smoke, she wasn’t sure. Maybe both. Her world was spinning and her senses were once again failing her.

“…definitely in shock…”

Everything was a sea of murmurs as far as Alessia was concerned at this point, head lolling to the side, eyes threatening to shut. It was the abrupt feeling of skin to her cheek that pulled her out of her stupor. In return, Alessia heaved her head up. It shouldn’t have taken this much work, but in this moment every part of her felt like lead. In opening her eyes once again, she found a kindly looking woman, concern etched across her features.

“Sweetie, I need you to stay awake for me. I know that’s hard, but I need you to stay with me, all right?” Alessia nodded in response. She also suddenly noticed a blanket that had been thrown over her. She couldn’t remember when they had even given her one.

“Can you tell me your name?” The woman asked. Alessia swallowed, her throat feeling incredibly dry and almost incapable of use it seemed, but still she continued on and was able to state her name albeit hoarsely.

“Ales…” she stuttered a bit, stopping and lightly clearing her throat. She tried speaking again, this time presenting more success, “Alessia Vargas.”

“Okay, Alessia. Can you tell me when your birthday is?”

“October 12th.”

“Can you tell me what year?”

Alessia had her mouth open to answer her question but was interrupted by a sickening crash. She turned to her left to see her _entire home caving in_. The flames consumed the debris, acting gruesomely victorious of the destruction they’ve caused. In this brief moment, Alessia seemingly regained control of her body, slowly standing on her feet from the back of the truck. The woman in front of her insisted that she shouldn’t, but Alessia didn’t care to pay her much mind. She felt like she was going to be sick. Breathing started picking back up again in a panic and the woman grasped her gently, telling her it was going to be okay.

_What a lie._

It was then that Alessia witnessed the state of her grandmother. In a stretcher, wearing a matching mask to her own, but her body. _Oh God her body_. Marred and ruined it seemed. And was she even breathing? Alessia wasn’t sure. The woman who Alessia now realized as most likely an EMS personnel was quick to step in front of her to…perhaps block the view? Again, Alessia wasn’t so sure. Yet, in that moment, something seemed very certain. She couldn’t hold the statement that rolled from her lips. Despite all of the panic surrounding them in this moment, there was calm sense of resolve to her voice, but lathered in an already building grief,

“She’s not going to make it.” Alessia knows that the matter-of-fact statement really set the medic off-kilter, her mouth slightly agape. The woman was raking her brain of what this incredibly young girl said in such a fearfully, stoic manner. The moment lasted hardly even a second, but it didn’t go unnoticed by Alessia, nor the way the woman shook it off stating another fluffed-up lie for ‘comfort,’

“We have some of the best medics in the city. They’re going to do the best they can. She’s in great hands.”

Well, perhaps it wasn’t necessarily a lie. Maybe they _did_ have some of the best medics and sure, they’ll do the best they can, but the underlying promise that she was _going to be okay_ …There was a feeling of dread that settled itself in Alessia’s stomach. No matter the skill or the quick hands, she had the feeling that her grandmother even if alive now, was not going to make the entirety of the night. Alessia hung her head low as the medic pushed her back down into the same sitting position as before, draping the blanket once again over her shoulders. The woman was saying something, but Alessia didn’t have it in her to respond.

~^~^~^~

The funeral went by in a blur it seemed, something relative to traveling in slow-motion. As predicted, her grandmother didn’t make it to the next day and the planning and happening of her funeral was soon to follow. It had only been a few days since the fire. You would think due to the intensity of the fire, it would have been due to some villainous happenstance wreaking havoc on a few, unsuspecting civilians, but no, upon further inspection they found the source to be from an ‘electrical malfunction.’ Regardless of the cause, here Alessia sits with an uncertain future swimming in her many thoughts, her fingers fiddling with the black fabric of her dress. 

Alessia would admit to pretty much anyone that, yes, she and her grandmother didn’t necessarily get along. _But regardless_ , this was certainly not the outcome either of them wanted or expected. They were entirely different people and butted heads rather often about many things more often than not. Whether that be an argument over extracurriculars or future occupations or personal space, they would most likely in some way end up in a standpoint of irritation with one another. But when it came to their arguments, Alessia found it to be rather wise to not bring up anything about mom, but _especially_ not her father. This was unfortunately a battle that her grandmother always won, especially since she was the one with all of the information and probably all the photos and such if there were any, so that was that. Though, regardless of these moments, Alessia still never wished her grandmother dead. And considering her being the last living relative in the area, Alessia was set up with a meeting with their local Connection Center to ultimately find out what they wanted to do. Though Alessia knew that her friend she had been staying with, as well as their parents, were okay with her presence, there were still legal obligations that would have to be followed. It seemed that even the world just wouldn’t allow her to grieve. But then again, when did the world ever stop for _anyone_?

That was why only a few days after the funeral, Alessia was sat with her own, personal representative that would help walk her through the days to come. They sat at a small table, sitting in not-so-comfortable chairs across from each other. Lightly sighing, Alessia watched Jasmine take a sip of coffee as she looked over the paperwork that rested on the table. The young girl didn’t miss the light hum of approval Jasmine gave off upon its taste. The absent-minded sound made Alessia smile a bit. The woman across from her must have caught it because suddenly she was looking at her with one brow raised.

“What?” Jasmine inquired, a playful lilt obvious in her tone.

“Nothing,” came the quick response from the young girl. Alessia’s words carried their own mirthful bite and Jasmine couldn’t help but give her a smile as she returned back to the paperwork in front of her, attempting to discern the mess of legal jargon. The two girls actually got along rather well, making these meetings a bit more bearable considering the heavy topics that typically took place. And today was no exception to that. Their previous appointments together seemed to fall under a more informal category, such as Jasmine asking, “How are you doing?” or “Is there anything you want to talk about that I can help you with?” At first, Alessia felt a bit annoyed at her questions. The little girl was never fond of pity and she feared that Jasmine had an intent on laying it on thick, but as time progressed…Alessia began to realize that, yes, maybe there was that deep sense of empathy, but it truly was genuine and the young girl came to realize that Jasmine really did care and was quite good at her job because of such.

So, here they sat. A big conversation that hadn’t even started settled a heavy weight in the air, one of which that could greatly decide her future.


	2. Chapter 2

Jasmine let out a sigh, apparently feeling the heaviness in the room just as much as Alessia. She tore her eyes away from the paperwork to meet Alessia’s gaze. Even though there was a soft sort of kindness that Jasmine saw in her eyes, there was also a certain wariness that had found its way in. This was a look that showed quite often on girl’s face much to Jasmine’s dismay, but then again, what kind of blame could ever be put on Alessia for that? She had gathered enough trauma from one night alone to last her _quite some time_.

Alessia suddenly took charge of the silence in the room, an attempt to add a twist of humor to the situation.

“No good way to start _this_ , huh?”

There was another pause. Jasmine took note of Alessia, the quirk of her lips and how more often than not, she used clever quips to provide herself with comfort in tense situations. Somewhere in the back of Jasmine’s mind, she gathered a bit of kinship and understanding for the young girl, as Jasmine tended to do the same in those situations. Though, this also meant that the woman knew how to use a laugh as to ignore everything else. So, she connected with Alessia in a comment of her own, but still wished to ground her safely in the conversation.

“Hardly ever is,” Jasmine shook her head, letting out a light sigh, “but I want you to know that I’m with you every step of the way.”

Even though Alessia appreciated the sentiment, she only found herself responding by lightly bouncing her leg. It was in hoping to let out some of the nervous energy that had been balling itself up into something more tangible since the rise of this morning’s sun. She really hadn’t slept well last night either with knowing what today’s events would bring, amongst other things she didn’t care to dwell on.

“You and your grandma,” Jasmine took to continuing, “It’s come to my understanding that the two of you never really spoke much about…?”

“About my parents, yeah,” Alessia finished her statement bravely, noticing Jasmine’s hesitance. A swell of excitement and nausea filled the young girl’s stomach. Surely because, yes, she was so incredibly ready to learn more about her parents, but at the same time, the horror of uncertainty and current events seemed to drag her optimism lifelessly through the dirt. Ultimately, Alessia wasn’t even sure what she wanted – _what she needed_. Because above all, what options really did lie ahead for her? In life, Alessia never truly felt in control, but now, she _really_ felt that any grasp that she may have had on her world had been torn away from her. What little of herself she had managed to cultivate had been shattered like glass after someone had decided to take a sledgehammer to it, pounding the shards into fine dust that was begging to be taken away by the wind. All of a sudden, she felt tightness constrict in her throat. That familiar burn in her eyes shot dread into her heart.

…

Alessia was a crier.

She knew that.

And she _hated_ it.

No matter what Alessia did, she just couldn’t ever seem to stop the damn faucet. This time was no exception. _Much to Alessia’s dismay_. Especially with Jasmine’s kind eyes and gentle words, it was nearly a guarantee that Alessia would crack, with the tears soon to follow. Though, Alessia had to commend Jasmine in how well she seemed to be able to handle her breakdowns. Right before Alessia’s tears began to spill over, she took to crossing her arms atop the table and putting her face head down into them. It was the last action of emotional protection that Alessia could provide for herself so as no one was able to see her cry.

Jasmine felt her own sadness constrict at her throat in response. Even though she and Alessia hadn’t known one another for terribly long, she still couldn’t help but feel rather attached already. If it were up to Jasmine, she would take all the hurt and the pain away, and steal it as her own if that meant Alessia’s comfort and safety. It was almost laughable how this little girl had managed to so easily have her wrapped about her finger. But Jasmine knew that Alessia would be far too kind to ever abuse such a power.

Hesitantly, a hand drew itself out to rest upon Alessia’s arm. The girl froze. And it seemed that all it once, the dam broke. The sob that cut through the air nearly had Jasmine breaking as well. It made a thought come to mind, ‘Was Alessia even _ready_ for the conversation they were supposed to have?’ Maybe this just wasn’t the right time.

But then again, when was there _ever_ a right time for something like this?

Jasmine pursed her lips, allowing her thumb to gently stroke a comforting line upon Alessia’s arm. She decided to remain quiet, to allow the young girl a moment to dispel whatever tears of grief or pain was necessary. After a while, her cries became fewer, slowing to a stop, and as Alessia slowly raised her head up, Jasmine was quick to retract her hand and provide tissues.

A weak sort of smile wobbled across Alessia’s lips as she accepted Jasmine’s offer, now attempting to clean the mess she had made of herself. Alessia wondered if Jasmine thought of her as a bit crazy because of how much she cried. Sure, she had life situations she could blame that on, but considering her track record? Well, it was probably more common than it should be, even before the house fire.

Ah, _the house fire_.

That’s why they were here, right? And as if on cue, Jasmine began speaking, finding that Alessia was calmed down enough to continue.

“Alessia,” she paused, thinking of how to proceed. In the end, she just decided to get on with it, “I’d like to show you something. I think you’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

Another pause.

“ _Much_ too long, in my opinion,” she finished.

Something was pulled out of Jasmine’s bag.

There was a brief moment that Alessia couldn’t make out what it was. Until—

_A photograph._

The moment Alessia’s eyes made contact with the picture, her tears spilled over again, but this time she did nothing to hide them. With heart hammering in her chest, she took the photo with shaky hands, her grasp gentle, yet deliberate. Nothing could tear her gaze away in that moment and it was almost as if Jasmine wasn’t even in the room anymore. Alessia felt herself blossom with warmth and excitement and life. 

The man she found in the photograph. He had lovely, olive-toned skin, making the hazel coloring of his eyes strike so much brighter than perhaps what it would have been otherwise. His hair also held a messy sort-of charm of being slightly wind-blown, its brown coloring maybe even carrying a hidden tint of red if the sun kissed it just right. And finally, the fine-boned structure of his face wore something like a smile…though, it really just looked like a subtle quirk of the lips. Yet, there was still a playfulness that could be found in his gaze if one cared to look.

But above all, Alessia was taken quite aback by just how _similar they appeared._ In a way, it was like looking at her reflection. Her eyes, her hair to the tone of her skin (though she hasn’t been in the sun _nearly_ as much), someone would have to be out of their mind not to recognize their relation to one another. In this rare moment, Alessia actually felt a smile taking kindly to her lips. One that was real and felt as refreshing as the mist of water on a hot summer day. All at once, it seemed the fog that had been swirling maliciously in her mind settled.

It had only been a few moments in real time, but it felt much longer to Alessia, captured in tunnel vision. Jasmine allowed her all the time she needed, but the little girl thought that it’d probably be appropriate to acknowledge her friend.

_Friend?_

Alessia was a bit caught off guard by how easy her mind came up with that title, but yes, she supposed Jasmine really was her friend now, and not just some hired employee to be further shoved into her problems.

“…Wow,” Alessia didn’t care to hide the waver in her voice.

“I know. You really look alike.”

“Yeah, we really do.”

“Well, now you can say you’ve had your first official ‘unofficial’ meeting.”

The young girl guessed that Jasmine had a smile on her face. Her assumption was confirmed when Alessia finally tore her eyes away from the photograph to Jasmine. Laughter was beginning to bubble in her throat. It nearly spilled over until a thought interrupted its process. Jasmine caught the slight shift in Alessia’s gaze and looked at her in question. Ignoring that for now, the girl looked back at the photo, as if searching for the answers to some hidden secret.

“Alessia?” Jasmine questioned quietly. She took Alessia’s hum as a sign to continue,

“Can I ask what you’re thinking?”

Alessia thought of how to start, but ultimately decided to volley a question of her own.

“When was this picture taken?”

“Last summer,” Jasmine answered after a slight pause. She didn’t miss the bewildered look that took over the girl’s face.

That had to impossible.

The man she found in the photograph looked so… _young_.

Too young.

“How…old is he?”

When Jasmine didn’t answer immediately, Alessia began trying to piece together some possibilities. Teenage pregnancy might be in question, but he looked to be in his early 20’s. Alessia was 16. Doing the math would make that impossible. Unless this guy had somehow found the Fountain of Youth and unlocked its mystical powers, this just couldn’t be. Alessia set down the photograph for the first time since taking it.

Jasmine watched Alessia carefully. She wished there was an easier way to do this, but the woman knew that there wasn’t really a way to beat around the bush for this.

“Alessia,” she waited to continue until she was holding the girl’s gaze, “you’ve heard of Nations, haven’t you?”

Has she heard of Nations?

_Of course, she has._

And what Jasmine was implying sent Alessia’s head into a spiral.

“You…You _can’t_ be serious?” Alessia queried. After seeing no hint of dishonesty in Jasmine’s eyes, Alessia let out a slow breath of air, trying to stabilize her shock. She liked to think she did a good job in doing so, but there were a slight too many things going on at the moment. Jasmine recognized this, too.

“I know this is a lot to take in,”

Jasmine’s words were interrupted by a short laugh of disbelief from Alessia.

“…but we’ll work through this.”

The girl was beginning to tune Jasmine out. She meant no rudeness, but she found herself withdrawing in order to better adapt to the situation. Alessia began getting lost in her head. _Thinking_.

There were a couple of things that Alessia knew about her father beforehand.

The _first_ was his name – _Lovino Vargas_.

The _second_ , was that he had been with her mother, and that she had loved this man dearly.

And the _third_ being that he wasn’t from around here. More specifically, he was from somewhere in Italy…So that would mean—

“ _Italy?_ ” Alessia murmured.

Even though Jasmine wasn’t in her mind, it seemed she wouldn’t need to be because it wasn’t long until she confirmed her seemingly disconnected inquiry,

“Italy.”

A silence set in. And it seemed Alessia wouldn’t step in this time to save it. Jasmine supposed she should take this time to explain a few more things, even though she wished Alessia looked a bit more comfortable.

“More specifically, the South part of Italy. He has a brother, too—your uncle. He’s the Northern half. And so…they represent and _are_ the whole of Italy. And yes, that’s why your dad looks so young.”

Alessia thought her heart might burst. From which emotion though, she wasn’t quite sure. There were far too many passing through her to ever know the cause. But what she did know was that the tears had found their way back to her eyes and down her face. Alessia felt much too tired for any of this. The trauma of the fire. The death of her grandmother. _Still grieving_. And now this. It was far too much.

Alessia’s gaze drifted back to man in the photograph, focusing particularly on his eyes.

She found that she already favored the sprightful playfulness she found there.

But a photograph could only give so much.

Alessia could only hope that where this new relationship came to be, a true home would be soon to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: Chapter 2 finally up! You got a little bit of Lovi, but not in person yet...Don't worry, that'll be happening soon!


End file.
